Hon Parekura Horomia
Minister for Maori Affairs

31 July 2008 Media Statement

Historical step for Ngai Tuhoe and the Crown

“The signing of the Terms of Negotiation is a significant milestone for both Ngai Tūhoe and the Crown. It signals a genuine desire of Ngai Tūhoe and the Crown to sit down together and find an appropriate way forward for recognising and addressing those claims.” Minister of Maori Affairs., Parekura Horomia said today.

“In signing the Terms of Negotiation, the Crown recognises that it has failed to fulfil its Treaty obligations to Ngai Tūhoe. Ngai Tuhoe history is one of great resilience, strength, and pride. But it is also a tragic history; a history of state violence, confiscation of land, and neglect of basic welfare.”
“As the result of Crown action Ngai Tuhoe have at times suffered poverty, famine, and significant isolation. This history was vividly explained at the Waitangi Tribunal Te Urewera hearings.”

“We now move to the formal negotiations stage, and the hard work begins – negotiating a settlement package that meets the interests of both Ngai Tūhoe and the Crown. “

“Given the seriousness of these issues, discussions will take time. But both parties are committed to achieving an Agreement in Principle within a year of this signing, which is an ambitious, but achievable task ahead of us.”

“I congratulate Ngai Tuhoe in reaching this point in the settlement process and look forward to seeing them progress through the process ”

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31 July 2008 Media Statement
He Hīkoi Hītori mō Ngai Tūhoe me te Karauna

“He tikanga rongonui rawa atu te hainatanga i te Whakaritenga Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero mō Ngai Tūhoe me te Karauna. E tohu ana i tētahi hiahia pono, a Ngai Tūhoe me te Karauna ki te noho tahi me te rapu huarahi whakamua tōtika mō te tautoko me te whakatika i aua kerēme,” i kī te Minita mō ngā Take Māori, a Parekura Horomia, i te rangi nei.

“I roto i te hainatanga o te Whakaritenga Whitiwhiti Kōrero, e tautoko ana te Karauna i hapa ia ki te whakatutuki i āna herenga Tiriti ki a Ngai Tūhoe. Ko te hītori a Ngai Tūhoe he hītori o te ngāwari, o te pakari me te whakahīhī. Engari he hītori hinapouri anō; he hītori o te noho tūkino, te murunga whenua, me te hapa o te tiaki oranga pai.”

I runga i ngā mahinga a te Karauna, kua pāngia a NgaiTūhoe ki te pōhara, ki te kore kai, me te noho mawehe rawa atu. I whakamārama kahatia tēnei hītori ki ngā nohanga a Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Te Urewera.”

“Kua neke mātou ināianei ki te wāhanga whakawhitiwhiti kōrero whai mana, i konei kua tīmata ngā mahi uaua – te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mō tētahi mōkihi whakataunga e rite ana ki ngā hiahia a Ngai Tūhoe me te Karauna.”

“I runga i te hōhonutanga o ngā take nei, ka roa tonu ngā whakawhitinga kōrero. Engari kei te piripono ngā rōpū e rua, ki te whakatutuki i tētahi Whakaaetanga Ā-kaupapa i mua o te kotahi tau atu i tēnei hainatanga, tēnei mahi manako nui kei mua i a mātou, ēngari ka taea.”

“Ka whakamihi ahau ki a Ngai Tūhoe kua tae nei ki tēnei wāhanga o roto i ngā whakahaere whakataunga, me te titiro whakamua kia kite i a rātou e ahu pai ana ki roto i ngā whakaritenga.”

ENDS

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